Method of making thick-butt shingle strips



April 21, 1931. F. c. OVERBURY METHOD OF MAKING THICK BUTT SHINGLESTRIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed April 10, 1926 [76718205012%redewid 6: five 165w April 21; 1931. F. c. OVERBURY METHOD OF MAKINGTHI CK BUTT'SHINGLE STRIPS iginal Filed April 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2fate/Mar fia'edemalv flwewfiay.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK C.OVERBURY, OF HILLSDALE NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOTHE PATENT AND LICENSING CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, ACORHORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF MAKING THICKFBUTT SHINGLE STRIPSOriginal application filed AprillO, 1926, Serial No. 101,090. Dividedand this application filed July 18, 1927. Serial No. 206,398.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 101,090,filed April 10, 1926, for thick butt shingle strips. v

The invention relates generally to a method of making fabricated roofingelements which are intended to be laid in overlapping courses on a roof,exposing a portion of each element to the weather. The base orfoundation for elements of this type ordinarily comprises felted fibroussheet material, which is usually formed on a paper-making machine, ofrag or asbestos fiber or the like. These fibrous sheets are sufiicientlyabsorbent to be readily impregnated with liquid bitumen or equivalentsaturant after which 'a suitable coating of impervious material, such ashigh melting-point asphalt, is applied to one or both faces of thesaturated sheet, the coated areas .while still sticky being surfacedwith sand, crushed slate, tile or other mineral matter in granular orpowdered form. Individual elements are then out or otherwise separatedfrom the sheet in any desired shape and size. Roofing elements of thistype are well known to the art, but have been found objectionable onaccount of their flat and unsubstantial appearance when laid on a roof,

' also because the fiber ends exposed at the cut edges when the elements,were cut from the sheet tend to absorb and give off moisture, the

changes in moisture content warping and de- I teriorating the elements.It is therefore an object of this invention to give the elements a moresubstantial and pleasing appearance when laid b increasing the thicknessof the element at t e butt edge. In order that the successive courses,of elements as laid on a roof may fit more Sun l y one on the other, Iprovide means for ma ng roofin' elements with butts which are materiallythicker than the heads, the thick portions of the shingles being taperedtoward the head. Another object of the invention is to form the thicktapeded butts by applying material to the sheet in separate areas beforethe sheet is cut. The areas may be so arranged that the sheet may be outeither transversely or longitudinally to form strip shingles orindividual shingles. The thickened butt adds to the appearance of theroof when laid, provides additional weight where needed to keep theshingle lying fiat against those beneath it, tends to prevent curling ofthe tabs, and economizes on maferigl by reason of the comparatively thinlea It is also an object of this invention to make the roofing strip insuch a way that one side will be finished to present the appearancedesired when the roof is laid, while the opposite side will carry theextra layer of coating material to thicken the butt portion of thestrip. This permits the use of an exceptionally thick butt-thickeningcoat of thermoplastic compounds, such as asphalt, without detractingfrom the appearance or durability of the roofing element. The thicknessof coating which can successfully be applied in one operation isgoverned by the thickness ofv consistency or the viscosity of thecoating material when applied. In carrying out one method of myinvention, I apply a thick tarry layer of asphalt to the butt portion.While a thicker coating may be applied with the asphalt in a semi-fluidrather than a fluid condition, it is more dilficult to make thesurfacing granular material stick firmly to such a coating so as to forma satisfactory protective outer layer. It is advantageous thereforetoform such a reinforcing coating on the face of the element which is tobe the under or rear face when laid. By applying the thick reinforcingcoating of asphalt to the face ofthe element which is to be the underface when laid, I avoid. deterioration of the element due to checkingand cracking of the coat. When a coating of blown asphalt is exposed tothe weather, the surface is hardened and contracted by the weatherconditions, the action of sunlight rays being particularly noticeable.If the coating is too thin, the hardening action extends all the waythrough and soon forms cracks which allow moisture to en'- ter. On theother hand, if the coating is too thick, the contraction of the surfacesets up stresses in the layer, particularly when it is cold and hard,which tend to cause cracks in the coating which extend through to thefibrous layer of the shingle. Between these extremes is a thickness ofcoating which ives best results in resisting the action 0 the weather.In the case of the blown asphalt customarily used 'in coating elementsof this type, the most desirable thickness is from .040 to .070 of aninch. It is obvious that the most serviceable asphalt-thickened shingleis to be 'to be obtained from putting a heavy coating of asphalt on theunder side of a shingle strip rather than on the upper arises from thetendency of the asphalt to become more or less fluent according to itscharacteristics under the heat of a summer sun. While such fluency isslight even in midsummer, the surface of a thick layer of asphalt isliable to slip, especially when weighted with grit, when laid on a roofwith a steep pitch. This tendency of thick coating to flow under extremesummer heat is avoided by having the thickcoating on the under side ofthe shingle strip where it is retained in place by contact with theshingles in the course next below.

My invention further relates to roofing elements to which thebutt-thickening coat is applied to the rear face in such a way that itextends over the butt edge and the edges of any slots which may havebeen formed or cut in the butt portion of the element and merges withthe front face coating to form a complete sealing coat covering the buttportion of the element.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic arrangement of apparatus for carryingcut my invention.

Figure 2 represents in perspective a pair of rolls for applyingtransverse bands of coating material.

Figure 3 shows a fragment of a. sheet coated for transverse cutting.

Figure 4 represents in perspective a set of rolls for applyinglongitudinal stripes of coating material.

Figure 5 shows a fragment of a sheet after being coated by the rollersshown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a fragment of a sheet coated longitudinally with adifferent arrangement of stripes.

Figure 7 indicates a cross sectional, view of a finished shingle strip,slated dhxthe coated areas of both sides.

Figure 8 shows in cross section a finished shingle slated on the upperside only Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary views in plan of continuousstrips of; roofing material after different steps of treatment.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation of apparatus for applyingbutt-thickening material to the strips;

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the rolls for spreading thebutt-thickening material.

Figure 13 is a perspective 0; a finished shingle strip.

Figure 14 is a perspective of a finished strip of a different shape.

Figure 15 is a diagram showing how the strips illustrated in Figure 14may be cut from the sheet.

Figure 16 is a side edge view of a series of laid strips showing how thesuccessive courses engage one another.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 represents a roll of roofing basewhich may be the usual felt or any other desired equivalent. As shown,the felt is passed through a bath 11 of waterproofing saturant, thexcess saturant being pressed therefrom by suitable rolls 12,13 which areusually heated. The sheet may then be cooled by any suitable means,indicated at 9, such as a number of cooled rollers, refrigerating pipes,chilled air, or any other suitable means. Its upper surface may then becoated as by a spout 14 with any suitable waterproofing compound, such,for example, as blown asphalt. This coating may be distributed by rolls15 which also serve as a support to guide the sheet between rolls 16,17. The lower roller 17 is preferably made with an irregular periphery,as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The raised portions of the periphery arearranged to pick up a layer of coating material from a suitable heatedreceptacle 18 and to apply the same to the under side of the movingsheet. Instead of picking up the coating material directly from thecontainer 18, the coating roll 17 may receive it from a feeding rollinterposed between the roll 17 and the container so as to pick up a filmof coating material from the container and transfer it to the raisedareas of the roll 17. The raised portions of the periphery arepreferably so shaped that the radii will have a minimum vaiue at themedian lines 19 thereof, increasing gradually toward the edges 20. Theroll 16 is preferably slightly spaced from the roll 17, so that theirregular surfaces 19 of the roll 17 will deposit spaced transversebands of coating material which will vary uni-- formly in thickness,tapering from their centers toward their edges.

The sheet may then be passed under suitable hoppers 21, 22, to cover thecoated areas on one or both sides with any desired comminuted material,such as crushed slate. Receptacles 23 may be provided to catch theexcess slate falling from the sheet after passing the rolls 24, 25. Ifit is desired to slate the upper side only of the shingle, as in Figure8, the coating material 29 on the bottom of the shingle may be dustedwith some suitable finely divided material, such as powdered mica ortalc to prevent sticking. In this type of shingle, the slating definesthe upper or exposed side of the shingle, the tapered butt-thickeninglayer of coating being on the bottom of the shingle, or the side next tothe roof when laid. The sheet may then be passed between yieldinglymounted press rolls 26 to press the comminuted and embed it more firmlyin the coating. The sheet is then ready to be slotted, if desired, andcut as indicated in Figure 3 along the median lines 33, which are'linesof maximum thickness of the coating 34 and on lines 35 midway betweenthe spaced bands or areas 34 of the coating. The shingle strip thusproduced will have a cross section somewhat as inof frusto-conical ordouble frusto-conical shape, according to their arrangement with respectto the sheet. The slope on the peripheriesof these rolls as shown inFigure 4 is somewhat exaggerated. Figure 5 shows a fragment of a sheetwith bands of coating 38, 39, 40 applied by such a combination of rollsas is shown in Figure 4, the dotted lines showing the lines of slitting36 and cutting 37 to separate the individual shingle strips.

7 It will be apparent that two rolls similar to the roll 31 may be usedinstead of rolls 30, 31 and 32 to produce a strip with bands of coating41, 42, as illustrated in Figure 6.

' -If desired, the order of stepsmay be varied. For example, the sheetmay be slotted (and also slit if the sheet is to be cut as in Figures 5and 6) before the coating is applied or before it is passed into .thesaturating tank. In either case, the coating fluid will enter the cutsand slits and will thus coat the edges,

as well as the surfaces of the sheet.

The strips illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 'may be so treated. Figure 9represents a pair of strips of roofing material which may have been slitfrom a wide sheet of indeterminate length. These strips may beconsidered as being shown bottom side upward, since the surfaceappearing in these figures is intended to lie next to the roof whenlaid, while the,

,opposite surface isto be the exposed surface 'when laid. By applyingthe butt-thickening coating from above, a thicker coating can be appliedthan by operating from below. It is desirable to use sheet materialwhich is strong enough to'be self-sustaining over a suflicient span toreceive the coating material without a belt or carrier beneath the stripto sustain it as it passes the coating spout. Before reaching thecondition shown in Figure 9, the strips may have been split from a sheet10 of saturated or unsaturated roofing felt, slotted as at 43 by anysuitable mechanism for the purpose, the same being well known inthe-art, and separated slightly as at 44 to allow coating material toflow over the cut edges and to seal them. Then a band 45 of heavycoating may be applied to the butt portions of the strips as bymechanism indicated-in Figures 11 and 12. The coating material coversthe butt portions of the strips and flows over all the edges of thecutouts 43 and the butt edges of the strips, merging with the coating onthe front (now lower) side of the strip to form a complete envelope orcasing for the butt portion of the finished unit, but leaving the headportion 46 of the rear (now upper) side of the strip free from coating,or from additional coating if the face of the material supplied has beenpre-coated all over. The band 45 of fresh sticky coating may be surfacedwith grit, powder or any other desired comminuted material as at 47.Individual units may then be cut from the strips as at 48, the part ofthe end of each unit to be exposed to the weather being a side 49 of aslot 43 which has been pre-cut and coated. The final result may besomewhat as shown in Figure 13, the rear side of the strip beingpresented to View. Instead of the slots. 43, the strip may have azig-zagbutt edge 50 as shown in Figure 14, these units being cut fromthe strip as indicated in Figure.15. The zig-zag cut which maybe used toform complemental strips in any one of a number of designs permits thecoating of the butt portions of both strips with a band of coatingmaterial which is not much wider than the coated portion of one of thestrips. It also applies the coating material to widely spaced tabs insuch a way.that only a verysmall amount of the coating drops through tobe caught in the container below.

As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the preslit and slotted strip may be ledover a guide and supporting roll 15, after which a band of coatmg may beapplied as by a nozzle or spout 51 which may deposit the coatingdirectly on the strip or on a spreading roll 52. The spout 51 ispreferably of approximately the same width as the band to be applied,the flow being regulated as by a valve 53 or other suitable means. Asshown in Figure 12, the roll 52 may be suitably shaped to spread theband of coating 45 in any desired manner according to the shape of theperi hery of the roll. A roll 54 may be located elow the roll 52 tosupport the strips. The roll 54 may also be arranged to dip intoacontainer 18 or otherwise receive a film of coating material to applyto the front (now under) face of the strips. -After' being coated by therolls .52, 54, the strips be applied, if desired, by means other thanthe roll 54, in which case this roll may be used simply as a supportingroll to cooperate with the roll 52 without touching the coating materialin the container 18. When thus employed, the roll 54 should be heatedand provided with a suitable scraper to clean 0 the excess coatingmaterial that flows through the cut-outs in and space between the stripsfrom the upper face coating mechanism.

Having thusdescribed an embodiment of this invention, it should beevident to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit orscope as defined by the appended claims.

1. The process of making roofing from sheet material which comprisescoating one side of the sheet with a water-proofing compound,substantially covering said coating with comminuted material, applyingcoating to the opposite side of the sheet in spaced bands of varyingthickness, and cutting the sheet on the lines of maximum thickness.

2. The process of making roofing units with tapered thickened buttswhich comprises applying to a sheet of roofing base coating material ina succession of areas of ta' ering thickness, the adjacent boundaries 0successive areas being mutually spaced and cutting the sheet on lines ofmaximum thickness.

3. The process of making roofing units with tapered thickened buttswhich comprises passing a continuous sheet of roofing felt through abath of waterproof saturant, cooling the sheet, ap lyin a layer ofcoating material to one si e of t e sheet, applying coating to the otherside of the sheet in spaced areas of taperinglthiclmess, and coveringthe coated areas wit comminuted material.

4. The process of making roofing units which comprises slitting.acontinuous sheet of roofing material into pairs of continuous strips,arran ing each pair of strips with butt edges a applying a band ofcoating material to the ad acent edges and butt portions only of eachpair of strips, surfacing the coated areas with comminuted material, andcutting units from the strips.

5. The process of making roofing units which comprises-formingcontinuous strips of roofing material with cut-outs extending from thebutt edge of each strip, applying a band of coating material to the buttportion only of each strip, said coating covering also the butt edge andthe edges of the'cut-outs,

surfacing the coated areas with comminuted material, and cutting unitsfrom each strip by cuts each registering with a cut-out.

' 6. The process of making roofing units which comprises slitting acontinuous sheet 'of roofing base into strips, feeding said stripsjacent and slightly separated,

substantially horizontall pair of said strips from a ing materialcovering and a portion only of the upper surface of the strip adjacentto the edge, applying coating material to the lower surfaces of saidstrips, and cutting units from said strips.

7. The process of making roofing from sheet material, which comprisesforming bands of coating material on one face of the sheet so thatadjacent edges of successive bands are mutually spaced, each said bandbeing thickest along its median line and tapering toward its edges, andcutting the sheet along the median lines of said bands and midwaybetween the bands.

8. The process of making roofing of sheet material, which includesforming on a face of the sheet marginal bands of waterproofing materialof equal width along the side edges of the sheet and at least onelongitudinal hand between and parallel to said marginal bands, saidintermediate longitudinal band having substantially twice the width ofone of the marginal bands, and cutting the sheet longitudinally alongthe median line of said intermediate band or hands. I

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

FREDERICK C. OVERBURY.

ove a band of coatapplying to each I an edge of each strip

